Approximately 60 people learned how to participate in Cycle Two of the Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) program via a virtual workshop held June 23-24. The application period for Cycle Two will be July 20 to Sept. 4, 2020. CRAFT offers growers substantial financial incentives to plant new trees that will be raised utilizing specific HLB mitigation strategies. Participating …
Developing Niche Markets for Florida’s Small Citrus Growers
By Chip Henry The current state of the commercial citrus marketplace in Florida justifies the need for small growers to find niche markets in which to sell their fruit. Deplorable prices for juice oranges are predicted to continue through the upcoming season. A recent University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences economic report indicates the possibility that perhaps …
Summer Tree Care Practices to Improve Fruit Quality and Yield
By Fernando Alferez and Tripti Vashisth As summer approaches and citrus trees bear developing fruit, growers can engage in several practices to improve fruit quality and yield. As temperatures rise and daylength increases, conditions are conducive for enhanced photosynthesis and accumulation of soluble sugars in the fruit. It is important to note that, in general, the temperature is negatively correlated …
Southern Hemisphere Citrus Crop Forecast
A preliminary forecast for the Southern Hemisphere citrus season shows an expected small production decrease but an increase in exports. The first crop production and export forecast for the 2020 season was released by the World Citrus Organisation (WCO) on May 29. The preliminary forecast is collected from industry associations in Argentina, Australia, Chile, Peru, South Africa and Uruguay. The …
Coming Attraction: Florida Finger Limes
Sweet oranges. Ruby red grapefruit. Sugar Belle mandarins. When one thinks of Florida citrus, these fruits immediately come to mind. But finger limes? A University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researcher believes that finger limes may be the next food trend that will continue to fortify Florida’s role as a citrus producer for the world. Manjul …
What Should I Plant?
Rick Dantzler has determined in conversations over the last few months “that the primary question on growers’ minds is, ‘What should I plant?’ And that really frames the discussion we [the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) governing board] had regarding our plant improvement efforts going forward.” Dantzler is CRDF chief operating officer, and he was referring to discussions at …
Hauling Limits Lifted for Citrus
Citrus has been added to the list of agricultural commodities for which truck size and weight restrictions have been lifted in the face of COVID-19. A Florida Department of Transportation enforcement bulletin issued April 13 stated that citrus and the other commodities for which restrictions were lifted had been identified by Florida’s agriculture commissioner and approved by Florida’s secretary of …
Citrus Sales Surge During COVID-19
Sales of Florida citrus and juice jumped during the COVID-19 pandemic in March, The Ledger newspaper in Lakeland reported. The newspaper cited a Nielsen report that not-from-concentrate OJ sales climbed 28 percent for the 4-week period ending March 21. The surge followed approximately two decades of OJ sales declines. Consumers appear to focus on OJ’s heavy vitamin C content in …
Rootstock Trial Results on New Website
A new website with a wealth of information about citrus rootstocks is now available at https://citrusrootstocks.org/. Rootstock breeder Kim Bowman, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service in Fort Pierce, has posted results from 37 replicated multiyear rootstock field trials in Florida. The results can be easily accessed from the site by computer, tablet or smartphone. According …
Effect of Planting Density and Enhanced Nutrition on Grapefruit
By Rhuanito Soranz Ferrarezi, Dinesh Phuyal, Davie Kadyampakeni and Kelly Morgan The Indian River District is the world’s premier grapefruit production region due to a warm, ocean-facing humid climate and Flatwoods soils. The geographical location leads to the production of fruit with thin rinds and exceptional juice and color that has been a high-value export delicacy in Europe and Asia. …
Fried Addresses Citrus Issues
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried delivered the keynote address at the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame induction ceremonies in Lakeland on March 6. She also discussed citrus issues with Citrus Industry magazine editor Tacy Callies. Fried says the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), which she directs, is working with the state Legislature on a variety of budget …
Trained Dogs Are the Most Efficient Way to Hunt Citrus Industry’s Biggest Threat
(USDA/ARS) — Dogs specially trained by Agriculture Research Service (ARS) scientists have proven to be the most efficient way to detect huanglongbing— also known as citrus greening — according to a paper just published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Currently, the only solid hope of curtailing the spread of citrus greening is to eliminate trees with the …
Peace River Citrus Products Announces Expansion
Juice manufacturer enters expanded 10-year strategic relationship with Coca-Cola North America. Peace River Citrus Products, Inc., an independent and privately owned Florida-based citrus processor, announced plans for a $98 million expansion at its citrus processing facility in Bartow. The new 320,000-square-foot facility expansion is expected to create up to 175 jobs in Polk County and be completed in early 2022. …
Citrus Greening Bacterium Is Now Available in Culture — So What’s Next?
By Nabil Killiny A dynamic research collaboration between several labs at Washington State University (Gang, Beyenal and Omsland labs), University of Arizona (Brown lab) and University of Florida (Killiny lab) recently reported an important step in the long-sought culture of the bacterium [Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas)] associated with huanglongbing (HLB). The work, published in the journal Biofilm, describes a new …
All In For Citrus Podcast, December 2019
The December All In For Citrus podcast has critical insights on citrus production, including contract issues, a view from Brazil, soil health research and the Winter Weather Watch program. Numerous Florida citrus growers have no contracts and no offers, or very low offers, for their juice oranges this season. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus …
Niche Market and Dooryard Citrus for the HLB World
By Jude Grosser, Manjul Dutt and Fred Gmitter The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) citrus improvement team at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) has developed a broad citrus germplasm base. This provides opportunities to generate diverse, interesting and possibly lucrative selections with niche market and dooryard potential. Several such selections are showing reasonable …
Three Appointed to the Florida Citrus Commission
(FLGOV) — Governor Ron DeSantis announced the appointments of Paul Meador, Steve Johnson and William “Bill” Poulton to the Florida Citrus Commission (FCC). The FCC is dedicated to overseeing and guiding the activities of the Florida Department of Citrus, conducting a variety of industry programs and regulating the quality standards of citrus grown in Florida. Paul Meador Meador, of Fort …
Sample the Latest Citrus From UF/IFAS
(UF/IFAS) — As citrus growers, packers, processors, gift-fruit shippers and others taste, feel and smell the latest varieties from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), they hope their taste buds explode with flavor and that a fresh aroma fills the room at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC). These participants will get two more …
IPCs for HLB Prevention in Young Trees
By Fernando Alferez, Susmita Gaire, Ute Albrecht, Ozgur Batuman, Jawwad Qureshi and Mongi Zekri Controlling the Asian citrus psyllid vector of huanglongbing (HLB) is critical, especially in young trees. Reducing HLB incidence is essential for tree survival and productivity under current endemic conditions. Individual protective covers (IPCs) are a novel strategy based on psyllid exclusion by means of a protective …
Citrus Grower Discusses Crop Conditions
Hardee County citrus grower Marlon Pendergrass with The Groves of Peace River discusses his orange crop, tree health and citrus prices. “We have a better crop this year than we had last year,” Pendergrass says. “Last year was much better than when (Hurricane) Irma came through” in September 2017. He says work is still being done to restore the grove …




























